Spike Lee Edits NYPD Chokehold Victim With “Do The Right Thing”

Last Thursday, a 43-year-old father of six living in Staten Island passed away after being put in a chokehold by police. While the man named Eric Garner had chronic asthma, diabetes, and sleep apnea, he also told police officers he could not breathe nine times.

Now, Spike Lee has edited together the footage from the incident along with a scene from Do the Right Thing. The real life situation is eerily similar to the scene from his classic film, and demonstrates how a 25-year-old movie’s message still resonates today. Radio Raheem’s death in the movie was based upon the death of Michael Stewart in 1983, who was also put in a chokehold by police.